Being in the creativity zone is such a wonder-filled experience! Sparks fly; mind races; thoughts pass by in streams of bright-colored digital inspirations. When I start creating, I am lost in time, transfixed until I suddenly look up. "Oops! I am almost late for ..."
The zone is in a wonder space, a creativity playground. It is not a fancy place. Unlike a child's playground, any spot will do that has a place to write, create, and revise. Digital tools, a computer, and iPhone are necessities in my wonder space. In addition, fancy paper, colored pens, and a glue gun are tucked into my literacy toolbox for any spontaneous DIY projects. I shared my wonder space with grad student teachers last week at my ELA Summer Institute. With a bit of passionate prompting, they entered the zone to create their digital designs and digipoetry. You can see what they created while in the zone here.
Giving and receiving is part of the creative process. Beside designing summer poetry swaps for Donna Smith and Linda Baie, I have been inspired to create digipoetry while observing nature. A couple of days ago my family took a quick jaunt to the beach. Our stay was short for the afternoon heat was rising and we noticed a dramatic difference in the sky. From gloriously bright to cloudy gray, it changed its look and sent us off trudging through the sand back to the car.
For the Embraceable Summer Gallery collection
Giving and receiving is part of the creative process. Beside designing summer poetry swaps for Donna Smith and Linda Baie, I have been inspired to create digipoetry while observing nature. A couple of days ago my family took a quick jaunt to the beach. Our stay was short for the afternoon heat was rising and we noticed a dramatic difference in the sky. From gloriously bright to cloudy gray, it changed its look and sent us off trudging through the sand back to the car.
For the Embraceable Summer Gallery collection
Being in the zone, means that there are other poet colleagues there as well, creating in their wonder spaces. A couple of weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised by an email from Ruth Hersey. A postcard arrived but it was not from Haiti. Ruth was visiting family in Kentucky where she was visiting family and decided to create a summer poetry swap for me as part of the exchange started by Tabatha Yeatts. On the back of a serene picture postcard, James Archambeault's KENTUCKY, Ruth wrote the following poem.
Spring to Summer 2019
Where Carol lives,
the seasons how up
one after another,
each beautiful in its own way.
She collects snippets of each
to fill a gallery.
Where I live
the seasons don't change much;
each month is hot and sunny
with alternating mud and dust.
I collect snippets of tropical blooms
for my own gallery.
This year I'm visiting my parents,
waiting for summer
in a world more like hers;
each morning is chilly and damp
and you can almost hear the grass growing.
I take pictures of all different flowers
from the ones at home,
snippets to fill a gallery
both Carol and I
could love.
©Ruth Hersey, 2019
Ruth's Garden of Blooms and Poem
will grace my Spring Splendor Gallery collection.
Today, I am joining the Poetry Friday Roundup at Carol Wilcox's blog site, Carol's Corner. For those who have puppy love, you will love to see 8-week-old Rooney and the poem she wrote about him.
Carol, your digipoetry perfectly captured your beach experience. It's lovely. And what a beautiful gift Ruth sent. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting on my image poem, Kimberly. Yes, Ruth's poetry gift filled the virtual vases in my home. I don't see a post from you today. Is there one?
DeleteI adore that beach picture, am sorry you had to leave so quickly. We were caught one afternoon on Captiva. That wind whipped up, clouds appeared & we grabbed stuff & ran! Thanks again for my 'bounty' you sent, Carol. What lovely flowers Ruth sent with her thought-filled poem, sharing galleries!
ReplyDeleteThe beach has a special lure for both of us. Sometimes, you can just get lost in its expansive view. Let me know when you get my postal package, Linda. It has more beach goodness. Ruth's poem is so lovely and her keen photography skills add to the beauty of the gift. Have a great weekend. The heat wave is so heavy that when you go outside you feel like you are walking into a thick wall.
DeleteSuch a tranquil spring splendour poem, Carol. Just melding into the greenery. Lovely. And a bouquet of blooms from Ruth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining me, Kat. It is always good to chat with you. I appreciate the comment. Ruth's park photo seemed to be so inviting that I wanted to sink into the picture. Did you find a spring photo/poem combination to send me yet?
DeleteI physically sighed and relaxed reading your beach poem and looking through the beautiful Kentucky flowers. My visit here today has lured me into the wonder zone as well. Even though Mother nature chased your family off the beach, you had time to feel the water and be family. That's lovely.
ReplyDeleteYes, Linda, we had time to enjoy the beach even if it was for only a couple of hours. Thanks for resting in the quiet of Ruth's photo with me and enjoying her garden of blooms.
DeleteWhat lovely getaways over here this week, including the "Zone"- a place I know and love! Glad you & yours got to at least pay your respects at the beach, but oh, how the tides can turn quickly...! Ruth's poem about your poetic playground is wonderful, as are all those blooms.
ReplyDeleteI know that y you know what being in the zone is all about, Robyn, so thank you for joining me here. Today, the heatwave is sweltering so spending the afternoon at the beach was not what we decided to do until late in the afternoon when we went to the beach Mass. It is one of our favorite Saturday events that is only hold in the summer.
DeleteI've had Mother Nature change my outdoor plans before - at the beach and other places. Your poem and photo combo captures it well. Ruth's poem is lovely with the contrast between your homes.
ReplyDeleteKay, thanks for the comment. Mother Nature did not put a damper on my beach day. It just shifted our plans and offered me inspiration to create another digital background for a poem.
DeleteLovely cherita poem and image of your seaside visit–hope the next visit is a bit longer. Our weather in Chicago changes dramatically within minutes sometimes. I like the comparison seasonal layers in the poem Ruth wrote for you and the images too, thanks for sharing them with us Carol.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, it is so special to be blessed with poetic gifts and comments from fellow poets. The discourse enriches my senses and brings me back to those memories where I was in the zone. Ruth's work from Kentucky was like a gift from a lush garden. Thank you for stopping by.
DeleteYour poem makes me long for an afternoon and evening at the beach. Ruth's poem and images make me think poetry swap would be wonderful, at least to receive. The giving part makes me anxious.
ReplyDeleteI have found that I end up in that zone when I am least prepared for it. I will be out in the garden working away when a poem decides to write itself in my head. (I am learning to bring my notebook with me) The other irritating time is when I am in the shower. What is with this anyway? I now have to keep a notebook in the bathroom! I just pray I will remember my brilliant lines by the time I am finished!
I hear you, Cheriee. Brilliant lines must be written down or they can float away as it has been many a time for me. The heatwave has been a source of concern here on Long Island. What I am dazzled by our my flowers that seem to thrive in the heat unless the humans. Your novel in verse is flowing very nicely with your short chapters. I am remembering how much I loved summers when I was a child running through my Nonnie's gardens. Your poem brought back that image for me.
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